Letters: Obama's database

November 26, 2012Updated: November 26, 2012 6:02pm

Photo: Nick Anderson, Houston Chronicle

Database fears

I find it greatly disturbing that no one is concerned about the mass of information the president has gathered about them ("Obama's big voter database prized, feared," Page A27, Friday). During President Obama's tenure, the Patriot Act wiretapping provision has been extended without significant opposition, letting civil liberties take a back seat to security.

I want to give thanks to the Houston Chronicle for its editorial recognition of Thanksgiving ("Giving thanks; This most American of holidays is rooted in history that we ignore at our nation's peril," Page B6, Thursday).

I especially appreciate its proper historical recognition of the holiday's religious roots, and the connection with the Magna Carta and Mayflower Compact. I hope the Chronicle will in the future continue to observe this practice of reminding the reader of the history of this significant holiday.

Richard Wright, Kingwood

Smoke and taxes

Regarding "Pass statewide smoke-free workplace law to help employees" (Page B7, Saturday), many of us do not like the smoke from cigarettes or cigars, and so we choose not to frequent places where smoking is allowed.

But since tobacco products are legal and, by the way, provide tax revenues to our state economy, nonsmoking people should just leave smokers alone and avoid those places where smoking is allowed.

Heavens, haven't we already made tax-supported venues (Reliant Stadium, Toyota Center, Minute Maid Park) into smoke-free places? If the state representatives feel that smoking is so harmful, why not just outlaw the sale of tobacco products across the state, then sit back and watch the traffic heading for Louisiana, Oklahoma and other states, where smoking products will be sold? That flow of people will probably dwarf the group of gamblers who already head out to enjoy a pastime deemed illegal in Texas by our legislators in Austin.

It seems that every new idea that comes out of Austin would restrict the lawful pursuit of happiness by some Texans.

Lawrence Keen, Pearland

Pay differential

The column by Thomas Friedman, "Why are 3 million jobs unfilled?" (Page B9, Nov. 19), says a big factor in the unemployment rate is the failure to educate technologically savvy workers.

That's only half the story.

The other half is really a tale of two cities, Edmonton, Canada, and Stacy, Minnesota, told on the page opposite Friedman's column ("Canada tries to lure U.S. energy workers," Page B8).

Why would an unemployed skilled worker in Detroit choose Edmonton over Stacy? There's not much difference in the weather. The difference is in the pay. As long as Canadian employers are offering wages as high as $37 an hour, while their American counterparts are offering $20 an hour, unemployed Americans will continue to fly right over Minnesota on their way to a job in Canada.